I feel like a new...

"I feel like a new man!" "I feel like a new woman." The television ads bombard us with promises that, with the right product, food, clothes, psychic prediction, or car we will be changed and feel like a new person. We've all been disappointed by those hyped-up claims, but probably were not surprised. After all, if it sounds too good to be true ... But Paul reminds us that if anyone is in Christ, [that person] is a new creation!

Sandra Herrmann

The word epiphany is from the Greek and refers to the experience of a sudden and amazing realization. Usually it’s applied to a scientific or philosophical/religious breakthrough, but it can apply in any situation in which a brilliant insight gives a person a different perspective on life or a problem s/he has been considering. For example, Archimedes’ famous shriek of “Eureka!” came as he was in the baths, contemplating yet again the difficulty of determining if a given mass would float.

Ron LoveMark EllingsenBob OveBonnie BatesBill ThomasFrank Ramirez

Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10Imagine a worship service, a sharing of scripture and interpretation, that went on from dawn until midday. How would you respond? In many of our mainline churches a worship service that last more than an hour risks negative comments to the pastor. “Worship was too long.” “I have other things to do today.” “Can’t you try to keep worship to an hour?”

Janice B. Scott

Some time ago there was a series of programmes on BBC 2 on the recent history of the Catholic Church. The series was called "Absolute Truth", and one programme looked at Catholicism in the developing parts of the world. It studied the work of liberation theologians in Latin America, particularly Leonardo Boff and Oscar Romero.